Community Partnership Services
YOUTH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
Presented by Santa Monica Ballet Folklorico
Program Description: We teach Aztec Dance, Ballet Folklorico, Hawaiian Dance, and Belly Dance. This performing arts program is open to boys and girls of all ages and cultures. Dance classes serve as both physical and historic forms of education, specifically, we are conscious of Native American and Mexican local histories of Santa Monica. Lastly, our dance students have several opportunities to perform locally as well as throughout Los Angeles.
Contact Information: Gina DeBaca | 310-266-2810 | cabezadevacacultura@gmail.com | https://www.facebook.com/cabezadevacacultura/
About Us: Our mission is to keep our culture alive here in Santa Monica and our vision is to do that through the performing arts.
Nature Outings for Youth Program
Presented by The Hummingbird Project
Program Description: Nature outings have shown to improve mental and physical health. Many kids in our So Cal communities never have the chance to experience this beauty and this healing effect. The pandemic has exacerbated this disparity, and we would like to change that. After every nature outing, we have a sit-down meal at a local restaurant. We learned that our kids cherish this part of the trip as they relax and enjoy each other's company after a day outdoors. Our outings include hiking, beach walking, kayaking, and visiting beautiful Avalon in Catalina Island once a year!
Contact Information: Despina Kayichian | 424-209-7129 | despina@thehummingbirdprojectla.org | https://www.thehummingbirdprojectla.org
Presented by Connections for Children
Program Description: Our Family Time Play Group is fun time for children up to 5 years of age and their caregivers to participate together in playing, singing, arts and crafts, and story time. Play group leaders also facilitate sharing of resources and discussion of topics such as child development, preschool readiness, and building a community support network. Family Time is a free program of Connections for Children, Playgroups currently meet in-person on the first and third Friday of the month
Contact Information: Angelina Nguyen |angelinan@cfc-ca.org | 310-452-3325 ext. 205 | https://www.connectionsforchildren.org/families/family_time_play_groups.html
About Us: For over 40 years Connections for Children has provided assistance to parents and child care professionals seeking information, referrals, and education around the provision of quality child care and early education.
Presented by Santa Monica College
Program Description: The Pico Partnership program is a joint partnership between Santa Monica College and the City of Santa Monica. The program is designed to meet the needs of the under-resourced youth living in close proximity to the college. The program assists and motivates young residents of the Pico neighborhood to pursue an associate degree, certificate, transfer to a 4-year university, and/or employment. The program offers: counseling; priority enrollment; direct student aid; textbook vouchers and more.
Contact Information: Student Services Center (SSC) Room S238, 1900 Pico Blvd. Santa Monica, CA 90405 | 310-434-4926 | picopartnership@smc.edu
About Us: Santa Monica College (SMC) provides a safe, inclusive, and dynamic learning environment that encourages personal and intellectual exploration − one that challenges and supports students in achieving their educational goals.
Presented by Sounds Like LA (formerly SMYO)
Program Description: Experience professional, tuition-free music education covering many different traditions and cultures. We aim to "sound like LA"!
Contact Information: More information: soundslikela.org | info@soundslikela.org | 310-985-3439
About
Us: Sounds like LA offers tuition-free music education and public concerts to diverse communities in the LA area, harnessing the power of music to bridge economic and cultural differences and to foster personal and social change.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Presented by WINLA
Program Description: WIN provides bilingual (English/Spanish) mental health therapy, intensive case management, community events, education and resources to families with young children (0-5 years old) facing adversity, in partnership with the Department of Mental Health.
Contact Information: 213-290-6113 | info@winla.org | winla.org
About Us: WIN offers an award-winning model for prevention and early intervention that includes: in-home caregiver-child psychotherapy paired with case management, and trauma-informed supports including family and community events, psychoeducation groups, systems navigation, and other community activities designed to promote safe and stable social-emotional development.
Family Constellation Parenting Workshops
Presented by SMMUSD
Program Description: During these workshops, parents will explore hidden family dynamics and understand how they shape their parenting. Through guided exercises, participants can gain insights into generational patterns and challenges, ultimately empowering them to create a more positive and nurturing family environment. Join me to uncover the root causes of family issues and embark on a journey towards greater understanding and healing for yourself and your children.
Contact Information: Aileen Salmaggi | asalmaggi@smmusd.org
Presented by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Westide
Program Description: All programs at NAMI Westside Los Angeles are free. We offer a variety of programs, presentations, and training that provide education, stigma reduction, and support for people with mental health conditions, as well as support for family members and loved ones. We do outreach at Virginia Avenue Park very other Saturday, so people find resources to help their loved ones and learn about what NAMI Westside offers. We have a warmline messaging system 24/7, so don't hesitate to contact 310-889-7200
Contact Information: NAMI WLA, 921 Westwood Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90024 | 310-889-7200 | namiwla.org
About Us: NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.
Grupos de Apoyo al Duelo Para Adultos
Presented by Our House Grief Support Center
Program Description: Tras la muerte de un ser querido, se experimentan intensas emociones como tristeza, soledad y shock, que pueden despertar preguntas espirituales. OUR HOUSE ofrece grupos de apoyo íntimos donde las personas en duelo pueden compartir sus sentimientos y experiencias, creyendo que nadie debería atravesar este proceso solo.
Contact Information: Jenny Rivera-Cruz | 310-231-3196 | jenny@ourhouse-grief.org | www.ourhouse-grief.og
About Us: NAMI provides advocacy, education, support and public awareness so that all individuals and families affected by mental illness can build better lives.
Presented by Social & Emotional Wellness Initiative (SEWI)
Program Description: We provide free mental health services to youth in Santa Monica through our Masters of Social Work Intern Program. We do individual counseling, drop in crisis and groups. Most services take place at SMMUSD schools, so the services come to the youth.
Contact Information: Emily Fitleberg | 424-625-2952 | info@sewi.org | www.sewi.org
About Us: SEWI works to improve the lives of youth since 2013, we've touched countless lives in numerous ways. SEWI has provided interns, trainings, and more for the at-need youth in greater Los Angeles community and beyond.
United Mental
Health Promoters Program
Presented by Department of Mental Health (DMH)
Program Description: The United Mental Health Promoters Program aims to increase awareness about mental health issues by improving timely access to culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health resources.
Contact Information: Claudia Gonzalez | cugonzalez@dmh.lacounty.gov | 310-482-6614 |
https://dmh.lacounty.gov/resources/united-mental-health-promoters/
About Us: The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH) is the largest county-operated mental health department in the country. LACDHM operates programs in more than 85 sites, with staff also providing services at 300 sites co-located with other County departments, schools, courts and various organizations.
JOB AND CAREER SUPPORT
Presented by HTA Hospitality Training Academy
Program Description: The Hospitality Training Academy (HTA), provides training for low-income and underserved populations to obtain employment in the hospitality and food service industry and to move up the career ladder to the middle class. HTA trainings, which include customer service, Vocational ESL, Cook/Prep Cook, Bartender, Barista training, resume assistance, mock interviewing, and more. Our focus is to offer participants the tools needed to enter and succeed in a union, hospitality job with good wages and benefits.
Contact Information: training@lahta.org or michelle.newsome@lahta.org
About Us: Dedicated to improving the skills of the hospitality, food service, and tourism workforce, HTA provides quality apprenticeship and training to upskill current workers and prepare underserved individuals for employment.
Santa Monica Youth Employment Program (SMYEP)
Presented by JVS SoCal
Program Description: SMYEP provides vulnerable youth (ages 16-24) with: intensive case management, education and career assessments, World of Work (WoW) job readiness workshops and placement into high-quality paid work experiences.
Contact Information: www.jvs-socal.org/program/youth-santa-monica
About Us: JVS SoCal was founded in 1931 in the midst of the Great Depression and is now a recognized regional leader in the field of workforce development, offering a broad range of innovative programs to tens of thousands of individuals each year and advocating on issues of public policy that impact the people we serve.
Employment
Services
Presented by West LA AJCC
Program Description: West LA AJCC provides Pico neighborhood youth with paid work experience opportunities, along with “world of work” and financial literacy workshops.
Contact Information: 310-309-6000 | https://www.ajcc.lacounty.gov/ajcc/west-la-ajcc
About Us: The West
LA AJCC (operated by JVS SoCal) serves
communities by providing intensive case management, education and career
assessments, career workshops and placement into high-quality paid work
experiences with the aim of reducing recidivism, improving economic stability and
housing stability for youth and their families.
LIFELONG LEARNING
Committee for Racial Justice Monthly Meetings
Program Description: Committee For Racial Justice workshops are aimed at addressing and ending systemic racism in education, housing, health & wellness, and criminal justice.
Contact Information: committe4racialjustice@gmail.com
About Us: This Committee For Racial Justice was formed in 2011 in response to a racist incident at Santa Monica High School and since then has held regular monthly workshops on the first Sunday of the month from 6:30 to 8:30pm.
Presented by Santa Monica College
Program Description: SMC Emeritus is a FREE lifelong learning program of Santa Monica College designed for adults 55+ (although anyone 18+ can enroll). Emeritus serves over 3,000 students annually and offers over 140 free classes in the fields of: studio arts, literature, writing, theater arts, music, political science, health and wellness and much more.
Contact Information: emeritus@smc.edu | 310-434-4306 | https://www.smc.edu/emeritus
About Us: SMC provides a safe, inclusive, and dynamic learning environment that encourages personal and intellectual exploration − one that challenges and supports students in achieving their educational goals.
Program Description: Our mission is to provoke public dialogue through contemporary artmaking. We believe that Art making is an essential component of a vibrant, just and healthy society Creative action is a vital part of individual wellbeing Humanity benefits when artists are valued.
Contact Information: events@18thstreet.org | 18thstreet.org
About Us: 18th Street Arts Center is one of the top artist residency programs in the US, and the largest in Southern California. Conceived as a radical think tank in the shape of an artist community, 18th Street supports artists from around the globe to imagine, research, and develop significant, meaningful new artworks and share them with the public. We strive to provide artists the space and time to take risks, to foster the ideal environment for artists and the public to directly engage, and to create experiences and partnerships that foster positive social change.
SOCIAL SERVICES
Presented by Providence Saint John’s Health Center
Program Description: Assistance with CalFresh enrollment. Available weekly on Tuesdays, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m..
Contact Information: Walk-in or make an appointment by calling the Virginia Avenue Park office at 310-458-8688.
About Us: The Community Health department at St. John's provides free health resources to the community such as mental health, nutrition, and food assistance programs. Community Health worker Lizeth is trained to help community members with the enrollment process for CalFresh Food assistance program (EBT). CalFresh is a government food stamp program which serves low-income families and individuals aiming to increase food security.
Financial
Empowerment Services
Presented by Haven Neighborhood Services
Program Description: Haven Neighborhood Services provides a comprehensive range of financial empowerment services, encompassing informative workshops on finances and housing, valuable credit counseling, effective debt management, aid in recovering from identity theft, support for enrolling in bank accounts, convenient free tax preparation services, and thoughtful referrals to additional wrap-around services.
Contact Information: Diana Arciniega | 213-995-7664 | diana.arciniega@havenservices.org | Angel Morales | angel.morales@havenservices.org| Haven's General Number: 213-375-4663 | Haven's General Email: info@havenservices.org | https://www.havenservices.org/
About Us: At
Haven Neighborhood Services, our mission is to financially empower vulnerable
communities in Los Angeles county by providing no-cost financial/housing
education and services to end their financial/housing crisis. All services that
Haven Neighborhood Services provides are FREE at no-cost to our clients.
Walk-In Legal Clinic (Housing)
Presented by Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
Program Description: Walk-In Legal Clinics at VAP provides residents with the opportunity to meet one-on-one with a lawyer to receive free help with housing issues. Clinics are held every third Wednesday of the month: 4:30PM-7PM.
Contact Information: Kevin F. Mitchell | kfmitchell@lafla.org | General Line: 800-399-4529 | https://lafla.org/
About Us: Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles is a
nonprofit law firm that protects and advances the rights of the most
underserved – leveling the playing field and ensuring that everyone can have
access to the justice system
Presented by Westside Food Bank
Program Description: Westside Food Bank coordinates with the City of Santa Monica to open a weekly pop-up food pantry at VAP that provides thousands of pounds of food for approximately 60 households each week. Food Pantry: Thursdays @ 11AM.
Contact Information: Quincy Gibson | 310-828-6016 ext. 0 | quincy@wsfb.org | General Line 310-828-6016 | https://www.wsfb.org/
About Us: Westside Food Bank's mission is to end
hunger in our communities by providing access to free nutritious food through
food acquisition and distribution, and by engaging the community and advocating
for a strong food assistance network.